The line evolved from Singer’s designs for Beyonce’s 2013 tour, in which he costumed her as a queen, and his study of the Dynastic queens of ancient Egypt.

“The serpent queen concept came about because the Egyptian empire fell apart with Cleopatra, the most opulent and most famous of all the queens,” Singer explains. “She was called the Serpent Queen.” With their rich colors, luxurious fabrics, and meticulous construction, the pieces are indeed fit for royalty — pop, ancient or otherwise.

Neiman Marcus carries the collection in San Francisco, and it was the store’s couture expert, Vicki Winston, who initially introduced Sloan Barnett to Singer. Winston suggested that he’d be the perfect designer to create a dress for her to wear to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “Punk: Chaos to Couture” gala. And Vicki was right! The python, lace and tulle dress he designed was spectacular.

“He made me, for the first time at the Costume Institute, feel like an absolute princess,” says Barnett, who adds that “Not only is he an amazing talent, but he’s like the nicest guy you’ll ever want to know.”

With some of San Francisco’s most beautifully dressed women admiring the clothes and placing orders, you can expect to see some modern day Cleopatras at our best galas next spring!

Lona Weiss, Komal Shah, Sloan Barnett

Rubin Singer, Spring 2014

“The blue gown and that skirt are based on a photograph I took in one of the Egyptian tombs of the wall paintings,” says Singer.